“This one was for my dad.” - An emotional Krunal Pandya could barely speak to the media after he scored 58*(31) in his first ODI game.

Not only was his knock studded with seven fours and two massive sixes, but it also had promise and intent. His innings was a testimony not just to his excellent recent form but to the years of practice and patience behind the same.

In every sense, the knock was a dedication to his father, who passed away about two months ago, who steered Krunal and his brother Hardik to where they are today.

The start

One might say that former Indian keeper-batsman Kiran More played a crucial role in helping the Pandya brothers to where they are today. He saw Krunal play in Surat and told his parents to get the two boys to Baroda for training at his academy. Eventually, the family moved to Baroda to avail better cricket training.

And at seven years of age, Krunal started his cricketing journey.

For three years between the ages of 10-12, Krunal’s father would drop him at the training centre, 25km away from home, every day, on his bike. On weekends, college students would come to play there. His father gave them a bucket full of balls to bowl at young Krunal, who wouldn’t tire out from playing for hours!

When teachers complained to the parents about the Pandya brothers not doing good at school, his mother would always support them and tell the school authorities that she has faith in her children, and they will make it big in cricket one day!

Playing for team Baroda

Krunal featured in Baroda’s U-15, U-17 and U-19 teams. However, he had his rough patches, especially in his U-23 days. The left-hander witnessed a dip in his career, and there was a time when he was dropped from the Baroda side. It resulted from a specific incident in a match that threw him off guard which ultimately became a reality check for the youngster.

In the U-23 game, he got out with a bad shot when the team needed him to stand and play. In the very next game, he was not named in the playing XI. Dejected and hurt, he questioned himself. “What have I achieved in my life? My parents have sacrificed so much, relocated just so I could play well, I’m 22-23 years old, and I still have nothing to give them back.”

He admits that while that felt miserable, it was probably the best thing to happen to him. It allowed the all-rounder to reevaluate things and turn things around for the better in a year or two.

“After that, I stopped aiming to get to a certain place. I started focusing on becoming a better human being and a better player.”

During this period, he also got a speed post job that he briefly considered taking up. “My father told me that it’s a good opportunity. You may earn Rs 15-20k a month, so you should go and try it out. At the same time, I also had trial games coming up for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the Baroda team. I thought that I had worked so hard for the past two-three years, and I have become a new player.”

He tore down the letter, went for the trials, got selected for the team and played alongside Hardik in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which incidentally was held in Mumbai.

The results - an IPL call-up

Witnessing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches was the then Mumbai Indians coach John Wright. The MI team management roped in Hardik and Krunal in 2015 and 2016, respectively, identifying potential in the two brothers.

In these brothers, the Men in Blue and Gold had found capable finishers. They were hard-hitters, capable of taking handy wickets and could shoulder pressure in critical batting and bowling situations.

He repaid the faith the selectors had shown in him in the 2016 IPL in a match against the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), where he scored 86 (37), leading the team to a mammoth total of 206/4. MI won the game by 80 runs.

In the 2017 IPL final, Krunal’s knock of 47 (38) got Mumbai Indians their iconic one-run victory against Rising Pune Supergiants to win the IPL for the third time. In just a couple of seasons, Krunal had become a Paltan favourite.

In the 2018 IPL auction, Mumbai Indians bought him back for a whopping 8.8 Crore, making him the highest-paid uncapped player in the tournament. He went on to win two more IPL titles with the franchise.

With 1,000 IPL runs and 46 wickets to his name, Krunal has shown the team can count him, no matter what. And this is the same attitude he carried into international cricket.

National call-up

Krunal made his debut in the Indian Blue by playing against West Indies in a T20I in November 2018. But he unleashed his true potential on his debut ODI game. Welcomed into the team by his brother Hardik, a happy Krunal made it his task to make the best of the given opportunity.

Amidst the excitement of firsts, the emotions of missing a dear one and tasting the sweet fruits of years of hard work, Krunal did not forget to enter with a bang. He did so in the ongoing ODI series against England with a record-breaking knock - it was the fastest fifty of all-time by a debutant.

A dedication to his father

To Krunal, the knock was more than just a good score. It was the result of the lessons he had learnt from all that he had gone through. It was proof that if you believe in yourself, things will fall into place. It was a sign that his father, who departed not too long ago, was still with him in spirit, being his biggest cheerleader.

When Krunal reached his half-century in just 26 balls into the innings, he raised his bat to the skies, saluting the man who had shown enormous faith in a seven-year-old back in 1998 and decided to move homes, just to let him pursue cricket. An emotional Hardik Pandya looked and cheered, proud of his brother.

After the innings, words barely left Krunal’s mouth. As a teary-eyed Krunal Pandya walked off the field, his brother waited, arms open, engulfing him in a giant pand(y)a hug.

Emotions and messages of congratulations poured from all corners after what the cricketing world witnessed in Krunal’s very first ODI game.

It is heartwarming that the Pandya brothers have not forgotten their father’s sacrifices to bring them here amidst all the name and fame.

In Krunal’s debut ODI game, we were blessed to see cricket in a light that it is often not seen in - emotional, heartwarming and thankful. We will eternally be grateful to Krunal Pandya for showing us the same.